I'll Be Here
by LadyLocket
Summary: "Don't be afraid," The red head says, "They won't break." "What happens if they do?" "Wouldn't you want to know?" AU. AkaKuro
1. i'll be here

**Title:** I'll Be Here

 **Paring:** AkaKuro

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** "Don't be afraid," The red head says, "They won't break."

"What happens if they do?"

"Wouldn't you want to know?" AU.

 **notes:** an au no one asked for. this fic was heavily inspired by 'The Book of Life' and 'Hotarubi no Mori e'. and i wanted to try a new writing style and this was the product of that.

* * *

The earliest memory that I have of him was when I was three years old. There's only bit an pieces here and there. I was on a hill, my parents had turned their back for a second. I climbing when I lost my balance and toppled over. Suddenly there was a gust of air, lifting me up, a flash of gold and red, and I was sitting on the floor.

I remember him smiling at me, patting my head.

I giggled.

And just as soon as the wind came, he was gone.

-o-

The next time that I meet him was when I was fourteen. I was in my hometown in Miyagi, visiting my grandmother. It was town where everyone knew one another, where not one gossip lost from hearing ears.

Nigou, a husky was given to me as a present by my grandmother, and I had been out in the fields playing that afternoon. He and I were sitting under the shade of a tall tree– I hadn't the clue what it was called, but it kept us away from the sweltering heat of the summer day.

The wind blew to us, and from a distance, out in the open field, there was a stranger standing. He had his back turned from me, but his blazing red head was all that I could notice. His pale skin contrasted with his white button up shirt and black slacks. He had a lithe structure, he wasn't as tall as my father, shorter by a few inches, but his structure oozed a sense of etherealness to him.

And in my eyes, he was beautiful.

Maybe the heat was getting to me, but for a moment I could see gold wings, glittering where the light hit them, like stars in the night sky. Beautiful, majestic gold wings that unfolded.

It took my breath away and I murmured, "Wow."

He turned to me and I jumped covering my mouth from a gasp that was inevitable to come out. He looked straight at me, his eyes piercing ruby, a small smile etched on his face. For a moment, I thought time had stopped.

I blinked, and he was gone.

-o-

On the dinner table that night, I tell my grandmother about the person–at this point everything was still confusing to me, that I had seen on the field. I told her about his beautiful golden wings and his fiery red hair.

"My my, Tetsuya," She says as she sets down a plate of fried chicken on the dinner table, "Maybe he's your guardian angel?"

"A guardian angel?" I ask.

"A person who protects you from harm," She smiled at me patting my head, "Now tell your uncle come down to eat with us."

-o-

I come down by the fields again, this time without Nigou– I really wanted to take him, but uncle had to take him for shots.

The sun was high on the sky, the cicadas singing, and I sat under the shade of the tree from yesterday, waiting for him.

I close my eyes for what it felt like a few minutes and when I open them again, he was there.

"You are looking for me," His voice gave me goosebumps, it was sharp, but strangely I wasn't afraid. It felt familiar almost.

I remembered what my grandmother told me last night about him being an angel, so I ask, "Are you my guardian angel?"

His eyes shown bewilderment for a second and the next my ears were filled with his laughter, "Is that what you think I am?"

"My grandmother tells me that you are," I retort.

"And why is that?"

"I told her about your wings."

They unfold and I could see them clearly, there as beautiful as I remembered them yesterday, but this time I could see them closely. It was an amazing sight, gold the glimmered when the light touched them, I started to reach for them, but stopped myself, afraid that I shouldn't be touching such a majestic creature.

"Would you like to touch them?" He says.

My voice doesn't function like it usually does, which is really embarrassing. I must have looked like a fish out of its bowl with the way I gaped at him, my mouth opening and closing again and again.

He chuckles, it seems as though I was right, "Tetsuya."

I should afraid that this stranger knows my name, but strangely enough, I found that was okay with it. The way his voice said my name, it was warm, it was clear. Defined.

"Don't be afraid," The red head says, "They won't break."

He holds out his hand for me to take and I follow him. His wings unravel themselves and he folds one of them over so that I can easily reach. I thread through smooth feathers, lightly, gently, afraid that they might shatter at any moment.

I couldn't hold out this question any longer so I ask, "What happens if they do?"

"Wouldn't you want to know?"

-o-

I learn that his name is Akashi Seijuurou the next time I come back. I ask him if he's an angel, but he doesn't answer.

"I like to drink vanilla milkshakes," I tell him out of the blue. We were out in an open space and I had brought along a kite with me to fly. Today was a perfect day for it, sunny but not at all sweltering like the other days, it helps that the wind was also in our favour today.

"What is that?" He was at the other end holding the kite, while I was holding the thread ready to run at any moment.

"Well," I start as I tug at the thread, "It's a drink, it's a good way to cool you down on days when it's hot."

"Maybe when you come back, you could give me some?"

"Maybe."

-o-

I bring vanilla milkshakes for us to share the next day.

-o-

I don't learn much about Akashi-san, he doesn't tell me anything. He doesn't tell me where he's come from, or why he's here, but he does tell me one thing.

"I like being here with you."

And surprisingly, I was comforted by those words.

-o-

We go out star gazing the next day.

When everyone is asleep, I sneak out of my room, pass my grandmother's room and I meet him at the edge of the forest. He tells me that he knows a place where we can go, and I follow him.

"Are you dead?"

It's been sort of a game between us now. A game where I try to guess what he is, or who he is.

"Maybe." He says in a light hearted tone. I hold his hand and I sway it carelessly, there's the sound of cicadas in the background, our feet in complete sync with each other's steps.

"Hmmm," I hum, "Are you immortal?"

He halts his steps and crouches in front of me. He looks me in the eyes, raising his hand, he threads his fingers through my hair, "Who's to say?"

"You don't tell me anything." I accuse him.

His eyes widen for a moment but then he covers his mouth to hide his chuckles, "But there's nothing interesting about me."

"Your wings." I tell him.

"My wings." He parrots.

"You can tell me about them."

"Maybe once you remember me."

He stands up and holds out his hand for me, I take it, and for the remainder of the our walk, I don't say anything.

-o-

Akashi-san leads me to a place where the trees don't grow, it's a clearing, it's small and secluded, a secret place.

He sits on the ground and I lay down on the grass next to where he is.

The night sky was clear tonight, and I marvel at the thousands– no, millions of stars on the sky.

"How did you find this place, Akashi-san?"

I feel him laying down next to me as well, "I tend to walk around here from time to time."

"It's so pretty," I voice out.

I was not talking about the stars.

-o-

"Akashi-san, you don't like wakame don't you?"

"I don't, no."

That explains why he doesn't touch the food that I bring for him.

-o-

One day, I ask, "Why are you always here? Can you not go out?"

Akashi-san's smile is sad, he answers me, "I cannot. I am bound to this place."

"Then I will have to spend a lot of my time with you, so you don't get lonely."

He laughs. This time it's genuine.

-o-

"Akashi-san."

The two of us were sitting on the clearing of that secret place that we began to call 'our place'. It's strange how these meetings could become normal for me.

"You'll have to leave when the summer ends won't you?"

"I'll be back the next summer. I'll come back."

He turns to me and as always he reaches to pet my head, ruffling it lightly, "Then I'll be here."

-o-

By next week, my family and I go back to Tokyo, back to a new semester at school, back to tight schedules, back to sounds of noisy cars, back to sights of tall buildings, back to days where hot summers were replaced by cold rain.

-o-

I come back to the our place the next year, he's already waiting for me when I reach it, he's as beautiful as I remembered him last summer, his golden wings were still a sight, it captivated me, caught me breathless.

It didn't take me long to reach him, and when I do, I run up to him, I hug him.

"I missed you." My voice was muffled.

He holds me silently and I breath in his scent.

"I've grown," I tell him.

"Only by a couple of centimetres."

-o-

We're out by the flower fields the next day. He's laying on the flower beds and his wings are spread, lazily, while I weave through flowers next to him.

"I think you snore when you sleep Akashi-san." I tell him, I hear him scoff beside me and his wings flutter creating cool winds, the flower petals swirling around us. He sits up and looks at my little creation– it's a creation no matter how much it looks like it's just a bundle of flowers.

"Did you try to make a crown?"

 _Try._

"I'm sorry it's not up to your standards Akashi-san," I grumble.

He laughs next to me and gently grasps my arms leading them to his head. He places my 'flower crown' on his red hair.

"I think it's beautiful Tetsuya."

"I think you're only humouring me Akashi-san."

-o-

I tell him about my time in Tokyo. How I joined the basketball club back at home, how the teachers are, how the people at school are, how Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun are always bickering about nonsensical things. How Ogiwara-kun, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun and I would always stop at a convenience store to get some popsicles after practice–

"And sometimes when we have enough money, we go out for burgers. I usually don't eat them, but Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun are always competing who will eat the most burgers."

We're under the shades of the trees, my back against the tree trunk while his head rested on my lap. His wings are unfurled and I gently thread my fingers across them, and no matter how many times I've touched them, I'm still amazed at how soft they are, no matter how many times I've seen him, no matter how many times I've spent my time with him, Akashi Seijuurou, is without a doubt a magnificent being.

-o-

That night, I had a dream.

 _It was a city, a city made out of gold, where winged creatures flew._

 _I dreamt about a red haired person, his face was blurred, but I wanted to reach out to him._

 _I dreamt of him being next to me, leading me to different places._

 _I dreamt of him crying begging me not to go._

 _"I'll find you."_

I wake up, breathless as sweat trickles down my face.

"It's just a dream." I tell myself.

But somehow, I don't feel convinced.

 _It's just a dream._

-o-

Akashi-san is late today.

I sit down with a book at our place, the clearing, and wait for him.

When the sun sets, I realise that he won't be coming. I gather my things and think about anything but the sinking feeling on my stomach.

-o-

That night the dream was different.

Instead of mosaics, instead of bits and pieces, I dream of a whole scene.

 _I dream about the same blurred face of a red haired man, we're at a beach this time. The waves are calming to my ears. We're sitting at the edge where the water meets the sand and I lean on him, his arms are around my body, warm, comforting, protecting._

 _"You love the human world don't you?"_

 _"Humans are interesting creatures." It was definitely my voice, "It makes me want to know more about them."_

 _He frowns at me, "You know you cannot."_

 _"Maybe someday."_

 _"There is nothing like that for us."_

 _"Maybe someday," I insisted._

-o-

Akashi-san apologises that he couldn't come yesterday.

Today, we go out fishing.

We're sitting my the riverbank as our lines sway with the stream, I don't ask him where he was yesterday.

I don't ask why there's a bruise on his cheek.

I don't ask why his wings are bandaged.

I don't ask.

-o-

Once again the summer days have come to an end and I have to say my goodbyes to him again.

"You will leave tomorrow." There's no question to it, he's just stating facts.

"Yes." There's a lump on my throat, because I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back to mundane life at the city.

Sure, there were friends, but what are friends when I could spend days with Akashi-san? Where I could spend days with Akashi-san fishing, star gazing, running, flying kites, spend lazy days under the trees with his head on my lap, spend days making ugly flower crowns for him.

"I'll be here when you come back Tetsuya."

-o-

We leave the next day.

Back to Tokyo where the city skyscrapers waits for me.

-o-

In the new semester, Ogiwara-kun sticks strangely close to me. He waits on me when Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun are gone somewhere. He gives me sweets randomly, walks me home after basketball practice.

He's a wonderful friend to have.

-o-

Winter comes and I think of Akashi-san. I think of what he might be doing when it snows. Does he wear clothes suited for the cold? Does he sleep alright at night? Does he think of me like I do?

And then suddenly I realise something.

-o-

Ogiwara-kun asks if he can talk to me after school.

When we're finished our cleaning duties, when we're packing the brooms and dustpans at their respective cabinets, when all our other classmates have gone home and when we're the only two left inside the classroom, that's when he calls for me.

"Kuroko."

"Yes?" I answer.

I notice that his ears are red as is the rest of his face. I immediately connect the dots–

"I like you."

I don't say anything, I stay rooted on my spot and my heart is beating a mile a minute. I'm not sure how to respond. Ogiwara-kun is special to me, but I cannot return his feelings.

I think of Akashi-san.

I'll probably make a strain between the two of us.

And with a heavy heart, I say, "I'm sorry."

-o-

The dreams comes back that night.

 _This time, I feel sad, anguished._

 _"How could you have done that?" The same man cries, grasping at my arms, "You've broken rules."_

 _"But I cannot live like this," My heart is breaking. It feels as though I can't breathe._

 _"We're made absolute," He wipes away my tears but they fall endlessly, "We are made absolute and what you have done, they will banish you."_

 _I can't say anything. I know in my heart that he is devastated, that I am paining him, that what I have done to him is selfish, that I do not deserve his love._

 _One look from me and he knows that I have made my decision. I kiss him, conveying my woes, my apologies, my thanks and he holds me tight, he doesn't want to let go, but he knows someday he will have to._

 _As we part, he holds the sides of my head and places his forehead into mine, he whispers, "What will become of me where you are gone?"_

 _I don't reply because I'm not sure myself. What I have done will not be left unpunished._

 _When I look again, his eyes are determined, "I'll find you."_

I wake and my tears are streaming. I grasp my chest, it hurts. It hurts. It hurts.

How could I do that to him?

-o-

Ogiwara-kun still gives me sweets.

In one of our classes he hands me a note void from our teacher's eyes.

I look down at his note.

"I'll wait for you."

-o-

That night, the dream continues.

 _We are at a place that resembles a courtroom. There are tall pillars and equally as tall beings that glowed sat on desks made of gold. The two of us are at the middle, his hand clasped hard with mine._

 _"You have a choice," A booming voice came, "We are made absolute, our beings are made with no mistakes."_

 _His eyes are pointed at me, "You are made to collect souls, Kuroko Tetsuya. You have breached rules of our kind. You are no longer welcome into this realm."_

 _"He is young!" The read head retorts, "He does not know better. Please, spare him."_

 _"Being young is not an excuse," A second voice, mellow came, "These rules are what we have followed for thousands of years. You know what will come."_

 _"Pity," The other says, "He had becomings of being great, but what he has done is inexcusable."_

 _"Now, you will have to make a choice."_

I blink my eyes open and breathlessly I say, "What an idiot he is."

-o-

The summer comes once more and my family and I are riding the train back to our summer house.

He'll be waiting.

He has been for a while now.

-o-

After dropping my things in my room, I immediately run towards the place that we have made our own.

My tears are falling endlessly and I wipe them with my hands.

When I reach for the clearing, there is no one.

I cannot see him. I call out for him, I shout for his name, I shout until my throat is raw, my heart feels like it'll explode any second. I need to see him, I need to tell him.

 _Where are you?_

"Tetsuya."

My voice hitches. I turn back and I see him. There he is.

His hair is still the same red that I remember, his eyes are like rubies, his wings golden that glistens like the stars in the night sky.

I run to him and envelop him in my arms.

"Why do you wait for me all these years?"

He doesn't answer, but his hold on me tightens.

-o-

 _"Angels are what humans like call us."_

 _"For beings like us, we can only fall in love once."_

 _"You have the choice of forgetting him and your time together."_

-o-

"You chose to wait for me."

"I did."

-o-

I remember now.

Akashi-san likes to read. Akashi-san is a soul keeper. Akashi-san is proper and follows rules of our elders. Akashi-san follows the schedule given to him religiously, he is never late. Seijuurou is perfect. Seijuurou is a being of elegance. Seijuurou is the best of our kind. The one who fell in love with me. The one who suffers because of my selfishness.

"Do not think about it," He says wiping my tears away as he always does.

"How can I not?" He embraces me tightly, "How many years has it been?"

"Three millenniums."

The dam breaks and I am crying once again.

-o-

We stay in each other's arms even after the sun has set.

"I was so happy when I found you again."

"You shouldn't have picked me, Seijuurou."

"You were so short back then, well, not that you are as tall now."

"Seijuurou–"

He sighs, "What's done has been done Tetsuya."

"You torture yourself."

"You forget that beings like us can only fall in love once."

"You should have chosen to forget about me."

"And remember nothing about the time we've spent together? Never."

We remain silent watching the stars, laying side by side, just like what we used to do.

"Tetsuya," Seijuurou's voice is quiet only above a whisper, "When the next year comes, I will not be here."

"Will I see you again?"

"I will find you." He promises.

-o-

I dream of my banishment.

 _It's painful. Not like you've been stabbed, or shot, or even run over a sixteen wheeler truck at 100 miles per hour._

 _It's more like you're being unthreaded, every fibre of your being is loosened and burned. It feels like you're being ripped apart, slowly and painfully. Memories of the past six hundred years with Seijuurou flash before my eyes. I'm being chocked with my own strings. I gasp to breathe._

 _I can see Seijuurou reaching for me, he's shouting, crying for me._

 _I can see Mayuzumi-kun, another soul keeper, and Midorima-kun holding Seijuurou back and I silently thank them for that. I thank them for not making Seijuurou come with me._

 _There is someone behind me, he is dark and when he touches my wings, they freeze to his touch._

 _'D…ea…th…' I gasp._

 _He doesn't say anything, he clips my wings, and I am nothing._

-o-

We spend that summer just like we do. We go fishing, star gazing, we talk about my life in Tokyo, I bring him vanilla milkshakes, I tease him with his hatred for wakame.

And in the days that we've spent together, not once does Seijuurou bring up our past lives.

-o-

"I heard that there will be a festival," I tell him one day. We're out at the fields, about to fly a kite. He's holding the kite as always while I unreel the thread.

"Will you go?"

"Maybe if you come."

He snorts, "You know I cannot go there."

"It was worth a shot," I smile.

-o-

The day before the festival, I tell Seijuurou to meet me on the riverbank at night.

"Why?"

"Just do so and do not be late." I insisted.

-o-

I adjusted the sash on my hips and looked at myself in front of the mirror. My father's old yukata fit perfectly into my small figure, a light blue cloth with small patterns of white flowers, a dark blue haori draped over my shoulders.

My grandmother compliments me as I go out of the house, she reminds me to call if I'm going to get home late. I nod and run along where I am to meet with Seijuurou.

I think of what Seijuurou would think seeing me in this.

I hope he likes it.

-o-

When he sees me, he tells me,"You are beautiful."

My heart soars and I wish time would stop so that he and we can be together like this.

-o-

"What are you doing?" I ask him when he lifts me up—embarrassingly, like a bride.

I know my cheeks are red, but he must be enjoying this as his face is painted with mirth, "Hold on to me."

"Surely you're not—" I was not able to finish what I was going to say, because Seijuurou leaps and he soars to the sky. My hands grip his shirt tightly.

"Seijuurou!" I shout, "Put me down."

He doesn't, he continues to fly, my heart is beating fast, and I'm afraid I might fall, but he holds me tight against his frame. The wisps of the cold air hits my face, and slowly, I let myself go and watch as the scenery changes. We're high above the sky, we're still near the clearing, and over to the horizon, I could see the festival lights.

He flies to a tall tree and he settles us there. I am on his lap and his arms are wound around me, his face resting on my shoulder. I lean back and I relax under his touch.

The festival is not as fun as this. I think.

-o-

"How is Midorima-kun?" This is the first time I mention someone from our past life.

"He is doing fine, he has found a companion named Takao Kazunari," Seijuurou replies, "He's good for him."

That is all he says.

-o-

When we meet again, he is bloodied and bruised.

I quickly run to him, checking his injuries, his wings were bandaged as is his hands and his neck, on the corner of his cheek he is sporting a large bruise.

"What happened?" I ask.

He smiles and ruffles my hair, "Nothing you should worry yourself about."

-o-

Two days before I have to leave, Seijuurou tells me this will be the last I will see of him.

I wanted to tell him 'no', but I couldn't. So I lean forward and he kisses me.

His fingers are gentle against my skin.

I am taken.

We don't say a word.

But the message is all the same.

-o-

When the sun rises, he is gone.

Two days later, I am back at Tokyo.

-o-

The next year, I don't go back to our place. I don't back to where we met, but patiently, I wait for him to come find me.

Knowing Seijuurou, he will.

-o-

We graduate high school, the four of us, Kagami-kun, Aomine-kun, Ogiwara-kun, and I, a year after that.

Ogiwara-kun approaches me once the ceremony is over, "You are waiting for someone."

"I am."

-o-

Two months after graduation, I move out my parents' house and into a small apartment near my university.

College is exhausting, with papers to be done, projects to finish, and torture that is called finals, but I gladly welcome them as a distraction.

-o-

I write Seijuurou's name in my notebook once and my senior, Riko-san, asks me who this person is.

I tell her that he's a person who doesn't like wakame and she laughs at me.

-o-

Many summers come and go, and it's been six years since I've last seen him. Graduation is fast approaching, and so is my licensure exam. I study like there's no tomorrow.

I wish that he is with me.

-o-

There's a muse in our realms that I remember. His name is Kise Ryouta, he's clingy and annoying, but he is a good friend of ours. He tells us that Seijuurou and I are meant for each other, and that the stars smile upon us.

I can only hope that what he says is true.

-o-

When I am getting ready for work, Nigou is barking at me to give him food.

"You're a greedy dog aren't you?"

I lay his bowl in front of him and immediately he dives to it. I smile and pet him. I stand up to get my things ready and I hear a crashing noise outside.

Nigou looks up from his spot and runs to the front door barking. He looks at me and barks at the front door again, beckoning me to open it.

I rest my bag on the chair, Nigou runs back to me and bites the fabric of my slacks pulling me to the door.

"Alright, alright." I appease him.

-o-

I've seen Seijuurou many times. Six hundred years of being with him in the realm. Enjoying his company during the summer days of my childhood.

I've always remembered him to be beautiful, with his fiery red hair, ruby eyes, and golden wings.

The sight I see when I open the door, shockes me. It's Seijuurou, he's stumped against the wall, bleeding all over. His head, his hands, and there's a trail of blood where he somehow managed to walk to where I am.

I will myself to move, swallowing my shock of seeing him again.

"Seijuurou!" I kneel to where he is.

He is panting, but he smiles at my presence. He lifts his bloodied hand and rests it on the crown of my head, "I found you...Tetsuya."

-o-

I lay Seijuurou on the bathtub and run water for him.

He coughing, choking on his own blood and I hurry to get the first aid kit. To stop his injuries from bleeding.

I unbutton his white button up shirt and I'm baffled with what I see. I hadn't noticed it before, panic ate me and it told me to stop his bleeding, to keep him alive, but now that my adrenaline has settled, I realise that his wings are gone.

Realisation dawns on me and I feel my eyes burn, "You clipped them."

There are two long scars on his back where his wings used to be.

"Seijuurou–"

"It took a long time to convince them, I had to wait for a replacement as good as I was," He says, "Shinatarou was ready to rip my head off when I told him I was going to do it. The wounds have healed from when I clipped them, but without my wings, I have no right to be at the realm, and well, they literally dropped me from the sky."

"You're–"

He faces me, despite the bruises, the cuts, he is still breathtaking to me. Ethereal.

His smile is like magic.

"I'm human."

-o-

Seijuurou's wings are gone. So are mine. We're both flightless, but we are free.

-o-

 _In the mornings when we wake, we share kisses, and I surrender in the warmth of his arms. We don't speak words, but the message is all the same._

-o-

 _END._


	2. interlude: back to bygone days

interlude: back to bygone days.

chapter summary: "I love you..." The words slip from Tetsuya's mouth, easily, just like water flowing from a stream, "I love you, Seijuurou."

notes: i wanted to write something to clear some things about how Kuroko was banished from the realms, or what exactly he did and this was the product of that. i also wanted to write it in Akashi's point of view. yeeeehhh, so i hope you enjoy it!

-0-

For soul keepers, time moves slowly.

Every day they have a schedule of souls to fetch, a quota given to them by their elders.

Seijuurou is one of the oldest soul keepers, having been born three hundred years before Tetsuya's time.

When Tetsuya came to be, Seijuurou was out with a friend, a gate keeper named Midorima Shintarou to visit a muse named Kise Ryouta– who evidently had something to tell the red haired soul keeper.

They were sitting in the blonde's realm, the muses lived in a palace made out of gold, where water flows freely—the blonde had once joked that he had been 'dripping with good looks, which prompted Shintarou to whack him upside the head.

The muse approaches them in his white tunic, Seijuurou notices that Ryouta has a skip in his steps.

"He has come," Ryouta flashes one of those million-watt smiles of his, it's blinding almost.

"Who has come?" Seijuurou raises an elegant eyebrow at this.

"Someone that will be special to you. The stars told me just moments ago."

Seijuurou almost laughs at the idea of someone so special. He doesn't believe in it. Many of the seniors have told him that he will experience it one day as they all have. Even the most trusted Shuuzo has told him that it is a wonderful feeling to be with their… destined.

To be honest, Seijuurou has no time for it. He cares not if he's bound to this person. He has a job to do. He is made to collect souls, not to fall in love with this being– whoever he is.

-0-

There's a new soul keeper at their realm.

He hopes that it's not him who has to guide him.

"Seijuurou," The elder speaks, "I will be assigning him to you. Make sure he learns his duties well."

Well certainly the Creator hates him.

-0-

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, I will be in your care for now on."

-0-

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it fascinating Akashi-san?"

"What's fascinating about humans dying?"

"Well… they have such short lives."

-0-

Seijuurou's getting ready for the day. His house is located downtown, just minutes away from the gates where they come down to the human world to collect souls.

For the past century, Tetsuya has been "rooming" with him—more like living with him, but he doesn't want to admit to that. He's still not used to this, however, since he's lived three hundred years of his life alone.

Tetsuya isn't a messy roommate per say, just that he has a knack of disappearing.

"Will you stop that?" Seijuurou snaps as he's getting ambrosia and nectar from his–he refuses to call it 'their', cabinets.

"Stop what?" Tetsuya replies almost innocently with a sly smile on his face. That brat he knows exactly what he's doing, "Living? Akashi-san you and I both know you can't do that. Unless Death comes and unbinds me."

Seijuurou ignores his snide comments and readies himself for another day. He moves to get the list of souls he needs to collect for today. He buckles the belt on his waist that has a jar of where the souls go.

"You should hurry up," He reminds Tetsuya.

"Right behind you Akashi-san," Tetsuya answers.

Seijuurou unravels his golden wings and takes off.

-0-

"Good work."

Unlike the two of them, Midorima Shintarou is a gate keeper. He's a being who chooses where the souls need to go. He reviews the humans' lives and judges them if they either go to reincarnation or to rest.

"How do you know when to send them to reincarnation?" It's one thing that Seijuurou notices, Tetsuya is impeccably observant. Maybe it's because the young soul keeper has only been alive for one hundred years.

Tetsuya lets out the souls he's collected, white orbs of light flow, there's three of them. The soul of a soldier, a mother, and a young girl.

Shintarou inspects them closely touching each soul lightly, "The ones that get sent to reincarnation are the one's who have lived unfulfilled lives and those who have regrets."

Shintarou holds out the soul of the young girl. Her orb is smaller than the two and a lot dimmer, "Like this young one," The gate keeper explains, "She died of what humans call 'pneumonia'. She was only five when she died, she has not even made a mark for herself."

The gate keeper then takes a key from his chain and opens the gate. He clasps his hand in prayer as he watches the soul glide through the gate before closing again.

"The others however," The gate keepers gestures to the two remaining soul, "They wish to rest."

"...Five years is such a short time." Tetsuya murmurs under his breath.

It is indeed.

-0-

Seijuurou looks at Tetsuya as he comes down from his bedroom.

He tries to hide his smirk at the sight of Tetsuya's bed head.

"I know it looks bad, don't try to hide it."

-0-

Tetsuya is a weird soul keeper.

"Akashi-san," He calls out as Seijuurou is about to take off to the sky, "Why don't we walk to the gates today."

"That will take more time than needed," Seijuurou deadpans, "What's the use of our wings if we don't use them for their purpose?"

"What's the use of our legs if you don't use them for their purpose?" The teal haired soul keeper retorts.

-0-

They walk to the gates that day.

They're incredibly late for their first assignment.

-0-

They visit the muse, Kise Ryouta. This is Tetsuya's first time at their place. The young soul keeper is amazed at the brand new scenery that he sees.

Seijuurou forgets that Tetsuya has yet to explore their realm and the people who live in it. The city is the capital, but there are more places, in this case, the palace of the muses.

"Ah! Akashicchi!" The male muse lightens when he sees the red head and Seijuurou could feel an incoming headache coming. Ryouta tends to get very loud when he sees his friends.

"Ryouta," Seijuurou greets in an elegant manner.

He hands Ryouta a package, "These are for you. The elders wanted to give you and your sisters this for all your hard work."

"Ah," The muse smiles, "Thank you very much! Please tell them I appreciate the things they do for us!"

The blond narrows his attention to the soul keeper beside Seijuurou who's been busy looking at the muse's palace, "Ah… so you're him."

Seijuurou knits his eyebrows confused.

Tetsuya then looks at Ryouta, "Excuse me?"

Ryouta gives that knowing smile, but he says nothing.

Seijuurou has an idea what the muse is thinking.

"Would you like to roam the realms with me?

Tetsuya nearly drops the scroll that he's reading, his face is blank but the slight widening of his eyes indicates the shock at Seijuurou's proposition.

"Am I dreaming... or did Akashi-san just ask me to do something with him?"

Seijuurou turns his head sidewards, his cheeks heating up,"Well, I don't have to invite you if you are so busy with your reading."

"... Akashi-san is cute when he is flustered like this," Tetsuya tells him in a teasing manner.

"If you're just going to make fun of me, I'm leaving you."

-0-

Tetsuya goes with him anyways.

-0-

"You like him."

"I do not, shut your mouth, Ryouta."

-0-

That doesn't stop him from taking Tetsuya to places he's never been to before.

-0-

"You definitely like him."

"I agree with Kise."

"You two are being imbecilic."

"And you're just being stubborn."

-0-

He takes Tetsuya to the place where stars are born and die.

They watch as gases form, hues of blue and violet forming new stars, some are red and yellow that explode into nothingness.

Most of the time though he watches the younger soul keeper. He wonders how such a thing could fascinate Tetsuya so much.

-0-

"Is it weird that beings like us don't die?" Tetsuya asks him one day while flying back to the gates. Tetsuya tends to be like this as he ages. He's three hundred years old now.

"It's not when we're given a purpose. We're not as fragile as humans are, Tetsuya."

-0-

"Akashi-san, can I call you Seijuurou?"

"...You may."

-0-

"Alright, stop lying to yourself. You definitely like him."

"I only tolerate him."

Ryouta's face is smug, "Mhmm."

-0-

They have a little time to spare that day. After they've collected the souls, Seijuurou takes Tetsuya to the shorelines of a tiny island.

The water is crystal blue, and they sit at the edge where the water meets the sand.

"I've never seen pink sand before," Tetsuya marvels as he picks up some watching it fall from his fingers.

The two of them sit down, their robes are getting wet but they couldn't care less.

Not when it the sun is setting down with an explosion of colours Seijuurou's had the privilege of witnessing. Not when Tetsuya rests his head on his shoulders. Not when their wings touch, gold with sky blue, almost like the sun and the sky itself.

Seijuurou understands. Ryouta is right. He has fallen hard.

"Beautiful."

He wasn't talking about the sunset.

-0-

Seijuurou likes to watch Tetsuya sleep.

They're at the gardens of their realm, lazing around for the day. All their duties have been dealt with beforehand so this is a welcoming break for the two of them.

They're under an old wisteria tree. Tetsuya lays his head on Seijuurou's lap. The red haired soul keeper threads his fingers through Kuroko's wings and the younger soul keeper sighs in his sleep.

"I love you..." The words slip from Tetsuya's mouth, easily, just like water flowing from a stream, "I love you, Seijuurou."

He leans forward and places a chaste kiss on Tetsuya's forehead, "I love you too, Tetsuya..."

-0-

The moment they enter Ryouta's room, the blond notices their fingers are intertwined and he smirks that all knowing smirk of his, "I told you so."

-0-

"...Seijuurou?"

"Yes?"

"Can I sleep next to you tonight?"

-0-

What used to be Seijuurou's room becomes 'their' room.

Their house. Their cups. Their furniture. Their place. Theirs. Theirs. Theirs.

"Let's go to our room?"

 _Ours._

-0-

"You and him are meant for each other. The stars told me so."

-0-

There's war on Earth.

The two of them along with the other soul keepers watch as swords clash with shields, watch as arrows fly, watch as humans fight each other.

"Why do think they do this?"

Seijuurou honestly doesn't know the answer to that.

They watch as fire swallow the humans whole.

-0-

"Why do you think we are given this job?"

"We are just made that way Tetsuya."

-0-

Seijuurou finds out that Tetsuya loves looking at the stars. Not the ones that are viewed closely, the ones that form and the ones that die, but the ones, millions and millions of miles away, on the human world, where they look like tiny dots on the sky.

He and Tetsuya are laying down together, with his arms around Tetsuya slim figure, he smells the scent of Tetsuya, the smell of ambrosia and fresh flowers that grow in the spring. A smell that Seijuurou's grown to love.

Tetsuya moves to look at the stars above,"Kise-kun says that the stars are where prophecies are made."

"Mhmm," He replies as he buries his face in Tetsuya's hair.

"I wish we could stay together like this."

"You know we can't. We have duties to attend to."

There's silence between them and Tetsuya quietly whispers, "I know."

-0-

Their first kiss is clumsy.

There's not an occasion for it, there were no star gazing, they were at home, at their room, and it just happened.

Tetsuya tugs him closer, and Seijuurou cups his face, Tetsuya leans closer and closer, and Seijuurou decides to go for it.

He leans forward meeting Tetsuya halfway.

Their teeth accidentally hit each other. They part and laugh at each other.

"We're so bad at this."

"Yeah..."

They try again.

Their lips touch and something is ignited.

And again.

It's addicting how Tetsuya feels under his touch.

And again.

Until they are out of breath and satisfied in each other's arms.

-0-

They kiss everyday.

They kiss in the morning when they wake up.

They kiss in the middle of duties.

They kiss at night when they're about to sleep.

And when the morning comes, they do it again, over and over and over again.

And it's the most wonderful feeling that Seijuurou's had the honour of feeling.

-0-

He loves Kuroko Tetsuya.

Through and through.

He finally understands.

-0-

Their kind can only fall in love once.

Seijuurou has fallen and he's fairly sure Tetsuya has too.

-0-

Tetsuya is the key to his heart.

He doesn't know what he would do if he were to lose him someday.

It's a good thing that their lives are eternal.

-0-

Tetsuya is five hundred years old when Seijuurou starts to notice something amiss.

"She got murdered."

"She did."

"It isn't fair."

"That's how life works for humans, Tetsuya. It's unexpected. It's unfair."

-0-

Tetsuya likes the human world, but he's never actually spent his time there. There's only a handful of places they go and it's always secluded. Tetsuya likes to see what humans do. How humans interact. He's very fascinated with them.

One night, Seijuurou takes Kuroko to a place Athens. It's a buzzing city, the streets are full of merchants, full of people, dancers, humans that Tetsuya is so transfixed with.

They hide themselves in red cloaks, a garment in which he got from Shuuzo, it's magical the older says, it conceals their true form and that's how they're about to walk around without being noticed.

"Where do we go?" Tetsuya asks.

Seijuurou smiles and ruffles his soft baby blue hair, "Wherever you want to, lead me to where you want."

Tetsuya gladly takes that offer. He clasps Seijuurou's hands and they run from stall to stall, trying human food, talking to merchants, chatting with the commoners and several passerby. Everything that Tetsuya wanted to do that night, they do.

-0-

One visit to the human world becomes two, then three, then more times than Seijuurou can count.

Tetsuya's becoming attached.

-0-

They watch as the world ends for the first time.

They're aware that this will be happening. A massive flood that will wipe humanity.

Soul keepers will busy collecting these them, Seijuurou contemplates.

He notices that Tetsuya's gone pale and he has a death grip on Seijuurou's hand. He notices Tetsuya's shredding tears.

He doesn't say anything.

He keeps his head straight.

Keeps looking at the scene that unfold.

Watches as humans gasp for breath.

He keeps his head straight, as he squeezes Tetsuya's hand, this is what they have to do. This is what they are meant to do. They're soul keepers.

"This is our job," He reminds Tetsuya.

"I know."

-0-

Humans are diverse creatures. In a few decades, the population is growing slowly, they're making towns, cities, countries, again.

-0-

He takes Tetsuya back to that island again. This has been one of Tetsuya's favourite places in the human world.

They sit down near the water and watch as the waves come up and go down again. It calming to his ears with the waves like this and with Tetsuya next to him. His arms are around Tetsuya's waist as he rests his head on Tetsuya's shoulders.

He wants to keep Tetsuya warm, wants to comfort Tetsuya's troubles, wants to protect him.

"You love the human world don't you?" He voices out his thoughts.

Tetsuya doesn't answer for a while, "Humans are very interesting creatures."

They watch as the waves come up and go back down again, "It makes me want to know more about them."

Seijuurou wraps his arms tighter, "You know you cannot."

"Maybe someday."

"There is nothing like that for us."

"Maybe someday." Tetsuya insists.

Seijuurou prays that that 'someday' will not come.

-0-

There's an incident that happens.

It's a rare occurrence and it happens unfortunately to Tetsuya.

Usually when souls depart, they would immediately go into a orb-like form, but this soul is different. She's still in her human form but she's translucent and glowing. When she sees Tetsuya she screams profanities at him.

Seijuurou tries to calm her, to tell her that she's made her purpose,that it's time to go, but she doesn't stop, "You claim my life! You kill me! You are death! You do not give me a chance!"

"N-no…" Tetsuya stutters, "I–"

"Please!" She screams, "Let me live! Give me my life back! I will do everything for you! Please, do not take me away!"

Seijuurou takes his own jar and uncaps it. Once the soul is inside he turns his attention to the younger soul keeper. Tetsuya's in front of him wide-eyed, clutching his hair, breathing heavily and his eyes glassy, pools of tears about to fall–

"Tetsuya…" Seijuurou tries to approach him.

Tetsuya drops to his knees and screams.

-0-

They go home that night and Tetsuya's murmuring apologies to the woman.

The two of them lay on their bed, Seijuurou wraps his arms Tetsuya's hips and pulls him closer. He listens to Tetsuya's broken sobs, his fractured sentences of apologies.

"I'm not… I–I'm not... T-this is…job…my job."

Seijuurou tries his best to soothe the younger, "It is, it's your job, you did nothing wrong."

"I'm so sorry."

-0-

Tetsuya drifts to sleep, while Seijuurou stays wide awake.

-0-

As the years pass, slowly, the light in Tetsuya's eyes goes dimmer leaving a hallow shell of what used to be a vibrant soul keeper.

"Let's go?"

"Okay." Tetsuya's voice is monotonic.

Seijuurou ignores the twisting pain is his heart.

-0-

Tetsuya barely smiles these days.

The only time that he does smile genuinely is when Akashi tells him that they don't have to collect souls for that day.

They go to their favourite places wasting their time.

And when the sun sets, they settle themselves under the wisteria tree where they first told each other their feelings, "…I wish every day…"

Tetsuya doesn't finish, his eyes close and he goes into deep slumber.

"We can't…" He whispers as he threads through Tetsuya's soft baby blue locks, "…but I wish I can give you that."

-0-

Seijuurou is surprised by Tetsuya one day.

"Make me forget. Make me feel loved."

-0-

"I love you."

"Always, Tetsuya, always."

It breaks his heart. He has inkling feeling that this will be the last.

He will lose Tetsuya tonight.

-0-

Seijuurou feigns sleep when he feels Tetsuya slip away from his hold. He doesn't open his eyes, but he could hear Tetsuya shuffle across the room.

The shuffling stops and he can feel Tetsuya's figure next to him.

He feels Tetsuya's lips on his cheek, a chaste fleeting kiss. A kiss goodbye.

"…I'm sorry Seijuurou, but I cannot live like this anymore."

He doesn't open his eyes until he's sure that Tetsuya's gone.

He gets up from where he lays, he thinks of Tetsuya.

He thinks of Tetsuya's sky blue eyes that held no secrets, he thinks of Tetsuya's soft hair, his voice, Tetsuya's kisses, the way Tetsuya felt under his touch.

Tetsuya. Tetsuya. _Tetsuya._

The dam breaks and he cries.

-0-

Their kind can only fall in love once.

Seijuurou has fallen but his heart feels like it's been shattered to pieces

-0-

He does he his duties like always. It's routine. They get up, prepare for the day, check the list given to them one final time, fly to the gates, collect the souls, head back, give them to the gate keeper to check, go home.

He's done this for a millennia.

He waits for Tetsuya. Then he remembers that Tetsuya has left.

-0-

"He's left."

Shintarou almost drops the jar of souls, "…Where?"

"I do not know."

"He will be punished."

"I know."

-0-

Three days later, the guards find Tetsuya.

They bring him back to their house. Tetsuya is safe, not one cut to be found. Seijuurou visibly sighs at this. Tetsuya is safe. That's all that matters for now.

Tetsuya doesn't get up from the spot on the ground and Seijuurou approaches him grasping his shoulders.

Tetsuya is trembling, holding his hands close to his chest.

"How could you have done that?" Seijuurou knows why, knows the reason, but he needs to hear Tetsuya say it. He needs Tetsuya to tell him, "You've broken rules."

His tears are flowing silently as he waits for Tetsuya to say something, anything.

"But I cannot live like this." Tetsuya's voice is hoarse. He raises his head and meets Seijuurou's ruby eyes.

"We are made absolute," Seijuurou wipes his tears away, he feels so lost, they're lost, Tetsuya's tears are endless, "We are made absolute and what you have done, they will banish you."

They know full well of the rules. All beings in the realm are made absolute. They are to follow their rules, to do the job that is given to them, failure to do so will lead to punishment.

His chest is tight, he is so lost. He doesn't know what to do, Akashi Seijuurou, the best of their kind, ethereal, a being that made no mistakes, does not know what to do. His heart is aching, the mere thought of Tetsuya being away from him sends pains of agony in his heart.

Tetsuya as observant as he, sees through this. They look at each other and Seijuurou knows that this is what Tetsuya's decision is. He can't change that. Never can he tell Tetsuya what to do. He loves him far too much for that. He wishes he can tell Tetsuya to lie to the elders, that he will never stray from his responsibilities ever again, but he can't. He can't bring himself to make Tetsuya even more miserable.

Tetsuya brings their lips together and he savours that moment. Just the two of them, he thinks not of what will happen in the future. This is him and Tetsuya's time together.

This will be their last.

They part and he moves to place his forehead against Tetsuya's, he whispers

"What will become of me when you are gone?"

Tomorrow, Tetsuya will no longer be.

"I'll find you."

-0-

The elders call for Tetsuya as soon as the light came to their realms.

He finds Midorima and another soul keeper named, Mayuzumi Chihiro, outside their house. He's seen Chihiro in the realms but they've never made a conversation with each other aside from talking with each other for their work.

"The elders want to speak with you, Kuroko Tetsuya," Chihiro tells them, "You may also come Akashi Seijuurou."

They say nothing in return and follow Chihiro to the grand hall.

-0-

They walk inside, the place is made out of gold, just like the rest of their realm, there are tall pillars that decorated the room. Their elders stand behind tall desks, their hands folded, scrutinising them.

"We have called you here today for a grave crime Kuroko Tetsuya has made," A booming voice spoke, "Midorima Shintarou, is it true that the soul keeper Kuroko Tetsuya has neglected to do his duties?"

The gate keeper looks at them briefly, "Yes, it is true."

He could see the elder's face, they're disappointed, saddened by this, but rules are rules.

"Akashi Seijuurou," Another elder addresses him. He squeezes Tetsuya's hand.

"You have a choice," He continued, "We are made absolute, our beings are made with no mistakes."

Seijuurou nods at this. However, the elder points his look at Tetsuya.

"You are made to collect souls, Kuroko Tetsuya. You have breached rules of our kind. You are no longer welcome into this realm."

No. _No._

Seijuurou finds his voice and argues, "He is young!" His argument is shallow, the elders will not let this through, but he has to try, he cannot lose Tetsuya, "He does not know better, please spare him."

"Being young is not an excuse," A mellow voice came, "These rules are what we have followed for thousands of years. You know what will come."

"Pity," The other says, "He had becomings of being great, but what he has done is inexcusable."

"Now, you will have to make a choice."

"We know of your relationship. Kise Ryouta has told us all about it, but as you know our kind can only fall once. Akashi Seijuurou, we give you the choice of forgetting Kuroko Tetsuya."

He feels Tetsuya stiffen next to him, "Or you keep all your memories, his punishment is still the same, unbinding."

"What will you choose?"

He glances at Tetsuya and he knows that the other knows what he will choose.

"Seijuurou, no…" Tetsuya pleads, "Forget me. Forget me. Choose to forget me."

He pays Tetsuya no mind and looks back to the elders, "I will choose my memories."

"Very well."

"Elders," Seijuuro kneels, "Please let me make a compromise."

"I do not think you are in the right place for that Seijuurou," Another voices out.

He ignores them, "I have made my life to serve you, but please let me find him. Let his soul reincarnate in the human world and let me find him."

"Seijuurou!" Tetsuya gasps.

"Preposterous! Are you insinuating that you would clip your wings for him?"

He ignores them and keeps his head down, "Please, I beg of you. I cannot live without him. This is all I ask. Let me share this punishment with him. He is half of me. We only fall in love once, this is the person the Creator has made for me, please let me be with him."

There's silence and then a sigh, "Very well."

He stands up and finds his way to Tetsuya, "I'll find you," He promises, "I'll find you and we'll be together once again."

He places his lips on Tetsuya's forehead, "I swear it."

Before Tetsuya can speak, the winds begin to pick up and Tetsuya is violently ripped away from his grasp.

"Tetsuya!" He reaches for him but he's held back by Chihiro and Shintarou.

He hears Tetsuya scream.

He's only heard of stories of others being unbounded, but seeing it with his own eyes, is entirely different.

He can see Tetsuya's body being unthreaded one by one, the strings curling into his throat, Tetsuya is gasping for air, reaching for him.

Then he sees a dark cloaked figure appear next to Tetsuya, Death.

"No!" He screams, he claws his way through Tetsuya, but the two are persistent holding him to place.

"You can't!" Chihiro shouts back.

Tetsuya looks back, "D…ea…th."

Death touches Tetsuya's wings, they're frozen to the touch. Slowly, Tetsuya's sky blue wings freeze along with his threads.

"Tetsuya!" He watches as Death raises his hand and collides it with Tetsuya's wings.

Every thing shatters at that moment.

Death is gone, but so is Tetsuya. Not a single trace could be found.

The winds calm, and slowly the two let go of his arms. He falls down to his knees.

"Dismissed."

-0-

"Good work."

"Thank you." The red head turns back to make his leave.

"Akashi…" Shintarou calls.

The soul keeper turns back, "Yes?"

"Do you ever tire of waiting for him?"

The smile on Seijuurou's face is bitter, tired, "Why, Shintarou, I have a lifetime."

-0-

Ryouta calls for him once again, three millenniums have passed. Seijuurou has watched the world evolve to what is has become. Watched it fall many times in war. Watched as humans lived and died.

Three millenniums without Tetsuya.

"Akashicchi," The muse leads him to the golden basin. Ryouta dips his finger into it and the water ripples. When the water settles it shows the sight of eyes like the sky, light blue hair, chubby rosy cheeks, and pink lips.

"It's him," Seijuurou's heart swells.

Ryouta smiles, "It's him."

-0-

Seijuurou flies down to the human world the day after that.

Tetsuya is a toddler and he's adventurous, just like how he was when he lived at the realm. He loves to observe. He loves to go to places.

As young human walks up the hill he misses a step and evidently loses his balance. Seijuurou then swoops down to catch him.

He settles Tetsuya on the ground and pats his head.

Tetsuya gives him an adorable laugh in return and Seijuurou's beams.

"I found you."

-0-

 _to the future, when we are together once again_

-0-


End file.
